Did you know that yoga is a great form of exercise for seniors? While many people think that seniors aren’t strong enough to do yoga or that they can get hurt doing it, the truth is that many yoga poses can increase flexibility, mobility, strength, and balance. Plus, yoga is low-impact, meaning that it provides great exercise for seniors while having a very low risk of injury. Yoga benefits even include psychological ones, including reduced stress, improved brain function, and increased positive emotions, mindfulness, and awareness.
If you’re interested in learning more about how yoga can help seniors but aren’t sure where to start, read on for Parkwood Home Care’s guide to yoga for seniors. As one of the best private home care Nova Scotia providers, we are dedicated to helping you find ways to care for and improve your loved one’s life. Our care providers are trained to help your loved one practice and learn more about gentle exercises that can improve their physical and mental health.
Benefits of Yoga for Seniors
If you’ve found yourself searching for “yoga benefits for seniors,” look no further than this guide. There are a number of benefits seniors can experience from practicing gentle yoga. The key is to find a good instructor or home care professional who can guide your loved one in finding poses that work for them. Plus, the good thing about yoga is that the benefits are not derived from hitting a specifically difficult pose but rather in moving one’s body mindfully toward that pose within their own individual limits.
Health Improvements
One of the most important benefits of yoga for seniors is that it can improve their health in a number of areas. For example, practicing yoga can improve balance. This is important as falls are one of the most common causes of injury in older adults. Practicing poses that require balance can give their bodies more “tools” to stay steady. Another health benefit is increased mobility and strength. Working through ranges of motion that require slow, controlled movement can strengthen muscles and improve their flexibility, giving the senior in your life the ability to move around more confidently and independently.
Some studies have even shown a connection between yoga and increased bone density in seniors who have osteoporosis or osteopenia. Increased bone density leads to fewer fractures than seniors who don’t practice any muscle-improving exercises. Finding a yoga instructor or a home care professional who can help your loved one explore yoga in a safe and comfortable environment can lead to them being healthier and stronger.
Stress Relief
Aside from its physical benefits, yoga benefits also include mental ones. Yoga is proven to have a calming effect on those who practice it, providing stress relief, mindfulness, and awareness. Many people know that the seniors in their life may go through frustrating moments due to feeling depressed or stressed from the changes that growing older can cause in their lives. Fortunately, regularly practicing yoga can help many seniors find relief and relaxation and teach them the ability to calm their minds when they are facing these negative emotions.
Home Care and Yoga for Seniors
One of the greatest benefits of Parkwood Home Care’s CARE programs is that our expertly trained home care providers understand how best to provide your senior with gentle exercise based on their needs. Our CARE programs are uniquely tailored to your loved one’s needs, meaning they will be guided through the kind of gentle exercise that is right for them and their body. Whether the exercise your senior chooses is yoga or a different kind of low-impact activity, your care provider will help ensure that your loved one is able to get as much exercise as possible, improve their physical and mental health, and find a sense of independence through movement. Yoga benefits for seniors range from a number of health benefits to improved mental health. If you’re interested in learning more about yoga for seniors, how home care can help your loved one feel strong and independent with regular exercise, and about Parkwood Home Care’s compassionate In-home CARE services, give us a call today.